It was a very different Thanksgiving for the 11 City crew members who deployed to St. Croix on Nov. 21. In place of family time around the dinner table, they were installing poles and stringing wire as they worked 14-hour days, seven days a week to help restore power in the U.S. Virgin Islands following the destructive 2017 hurricane season.

Last night, the crew returned home in frigid temperatures to warm embraces.

“Our Tallahassee crews helped make great progress on the electric system repairs our fellow Americans in the Caribbean so badly need,” Mayor Andrew Gillum said. “The process of recovery is far from over, and our crews will continue to work until the job is done. I’m proud of their professionalism and willingness to help – showing why our utility crews are the best in the nation.”
Because of the ongoing need, a second City team has deployed to the island to help during the holiday season. The team will once again join crews from Ocala, Ft. Pierce and Homestead as part of a mutual aid agreement coordinated under the Florida Municipal Electric Association (FMEA).

“Crews and equipment from 200 municipal electric utilities in 26 states and Canada rushed to Florida’s aid following Hurricane Irma. We were happy to pay it forward and coordinate mutual aid for our neighbors in the U.S. Virgin Islands, which was devastated by Hurricanes Irma and Maria and still without power,” said Amy Zubaly, Florida Municipal Electric Association Executive Director. “We appreciate the crews from around the state, including the City of Tallahassee electric utility, who left their families and homes during the Thanksgiving holiday to help those in need.”